Alternate Scenes
by IrishEyesAreSmiling
Summary: These are just parts of Book 6 I wanted to twist around in my own fashion but JK Rowling is the true writer!. To me they were more exciting, but you can be the judge!


**DISCLAIMER: Parts of the book that I wanted to change because they are more emotional. Of course, the original belongs completely to J.K. Rowling.**

**Saying Goodbye to Ron and Hermione**

Harry felt his heart race wildly in his chest as he ran to the Gryffindor tower. He was excited that he and Dumbledore were embarking on a journey together. For once he was going to be involved with the Order and help destroy Voldemort, but it was terrifying just as it was thrilling. Instead of avoiding a battle, he was seeking it.

Harry was gasping as he entered through the portrait and nearly stumbled up the stairs. Once he stepped foot into the common room, however, his breathe almost stopped.

"Hey, mate," said Ron. "What's up with you? Did something happen?"

Hermione sat next to him reading a book and stared curiously.

"No…I mean, yes, but…"

"Well? Did you meet up with Malfoy, or what?"

Harry realized that he didn't have time for this. Without saying a word he bolted upstairs to the dormitory and ripped open his trunk and pulled out the invisibility cloak, map, and the balled up sock.

Both of them were staring wide-eyed when he came running down.

"Harry, what--."

"Listen you two, I don't have much time. I'm going away now, away from Hogwarts. I need you to do something for me, and swear you will obey."

Hermione was horror struck. "Harry, you're scaring me!"

"Dumbledore isn't taking you on something too dangerous, is he?" Ron gulped.

Harry felt a weight bear down on his shoulders almost immediately. "I don't know, that's why I need you to listen to me." He took out the map and shoved it at Hermione. "Take this and keep guard over Malfoy and Snape. If they come out, don't attack them, all right? Hide or run, if they see you. Follow them, and see where they are going. If anything turns up, go to McGonagall at once." He tossed the sock to Ron.

"Is this that lucky stuff you made?" he asked stiffly.

"Yeah. All of you take it, including Ginny. All of you must keep out of this as much as possible, understand?"

Hermione's eyes were leaking tears profusely, and her hands that held the map were trembling. "You can't go, Harry! You're only sixteen. We need to be there for you, like always."

"No," he replied bluntly. "This is between Dumbledore and I. I can't even tell you were we are going, but I have a vague idea where. It will be all right with Dumbledore, you know that."

Ron stared at him in a way he never had before. It was encouraging and full of strength. "You can do it. We will take care of things here, you go ahead."

Hermione sat aghast, but Harry locked deep into his eyes. "Thanks."

He stood up and looked them over for a moment. The situation seemed to suddenly sink into him at last. This could be that last time he ever saw them. And Ginny was not in sight to say goodbye.

"I'll come back," he said, trying to convince himself. "Don't worry. I always do, right?"

A small smile streaked across Hermione's face. Harry gazed at the sadness and mother-like worry she had for him, and felt his heart begin to pound again. Looking away he said shortly, "I have to go."

He wanted his friends to be relaxed. Their nerves were calmed, he noticed, but what if he didn't come back? He couldn't leave without acknowledging their friendship, but he did not wish to send fear into them either. If Harry did it, they would see what he was doing.

Ron stood up. "We'll do what you said. Nothing will happen to any of us."

Harry couldn't restrain himself anymore. In a quick rush he grabbed Ron by the shoulders and embraced him.

"Harry?" Ron whispered.

"Thanks for doing this, guys. It means a lot." Harry released him and moved on to Hermione, who began quivering in his arms. By the look on her face, she was realizing the truth. It was going to be dangerous.

Fighting the lump in his throat, he walked quickly to the portrait and turned around. "Tell Ginny I said goodbye and that I will come back soon."

Ron, to Harry's surprise, had moist eyes and a face turning red as his hair. "She's up in the dormitory, Harry. You need to tell her."

"I need to go now," he replied, more harshly than he intended. "Dumbledore is waiting."

"Harry, if something happens—." Hermione said softly.

"Nothing will. Tell her for me, and watch the map carefully." More quietly he added, "Goodbye."

**(jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj**)

Ginny had been doing some Transfiguration homework and decided to come down to ask Hermione a question. When she came down, she saw Ron embracing Hermione as she wept.

"What happened?" she asked in a panic. "Did something—."

"Harry," Ron interrupted. "He left with Dumbledore a few minutes ago. They went to go look for that thing that has You-Know-Who's soul in it."

She felt as if someone had stabbed her in the stomach. Her breath caught in her chest and all of a sudden her legs became weak. "He left?"

Ron nodded. "He said to tell you that he would be back soon, and said goodbye."

"He didn't want to see me?" Ginny cried with tears bursting from her eyes. "He just left us?"

Hermione stood up. "Ginny, he was so upset. He didn't want to face you. Harry could barely talk to us."

"That doesn't mean he couldn't have at least said something to me!"

"He loves you, Gin," Ron replied softly. "The last thing he would want to do is to have you see him leave to who knows where. He was hurting a lot."

When she heard her brother say that Harry loved her, Ginny felt her heart erupt into agony. Screaming, she turned around and ran up the stairs to cry in her bed. She worried that she would never see him again. They had only kissed each other on the cheek, and she wanted that night to be the first time it was on the lips. Now she may never get her chance at all.

**Fight with Snape**

Harry was in a blind rage. He knew all along Snape was still in the Dark Lord's hands. He played Dumbledore all these years and finally killed him right in front of his eyes. The only person that totally accepted Harry for who he was. The person who cared for him. Harry knew his protection was gone now without him. All he cared about was getting revenge for what he had lost. The lust for murder was more of that than Lestrange or Pettigrew. It consumed Harry's entire mind and body.

Snape was the damn prince. It only angered Harry more for thinking the mysterious person was a genius. How stupid of him to listen to Snape, but he had learned a lot in return. Everything Harry tried was blocked and Snape was beating the crap out of him.

"I am not a coward, Potter. You use my spells against me when I had made them! I can see inside your weak mind. Every spell, I see it. I will block every one."

Harry struggled to stand up. The world seemed to spin from the force against the ground. They were inside the castle and they could hear others fighting in the halls. "You're going to pay, Snape. I will hunt you down like I will your master and finish you off. You had my parents killed, and now you murdered Dumbledore."

"You cannot kill, Potter. Your heart is too pure. You are a Gryffindor, and Gryffindors do not kill for pleasure and revenge. That is a Slytherin's lust, boy."

"Don't be so sure, Snape. I can kill just like you. If you wouldn't have been there in that bathroom, Malfoy would have been dead. And so would you."

Snape was seething in rage. He raised his wand, but Harry darted toward the man and shoved him to the ground. Snape roared in fury and pushed him off.

Harry turned and held his wand high, but Snape beat him to it.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!"

Harry's body froze in terror. There was no way he could avoid it. He gazed over Snape's shoulder and saw them; Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Lupin rounding the corner with an expression of fear that he had never seen before.

When it hit him, Harry had no idea whether he was lying down or was still standing. All he felt was a paralyzing pain across his chest, and warm liquid profuse everywhere. There was so much of it, as if someone had thrown water upon him. Far off he heard piercing screams and shouting. In his confusion, Harry tried to feel around him and hard stone grazed his fingertips. He was on the floor.

Someone was screaming his name. Harry tried hard to open his eyes, but nothing happened. All he could feel was the hard stone damp with the warm substance and the burning on his chest.

"Harry, wake up!" The voices were becoming distinct. "Don't die on me!"

"I don't want to," he replied mentally. "I just want to sleep." Funny what the mind thinks as it becomes confused.

"Lupin, what do we do?" The panicked voice hollered over him. "There's so much blood!"

Blood? That's what all that was? Was it his?

Harry felt his head rest into the arms of another. More voices circled around him.

"…hospital wing….hurry…he's dying…"

"..no he's not…get Dumbledore…"

"…dead…"

And that was all Harry heard before blacking out into the darkness creeping in his brain.

Harry squinted as the light burned his weak eyes. He saw that he was in the hospital wing…again…and something was in his hand. He turned his head and saw a flame of red lying on the bed near his stomach.

"Ginny?" he asked, so weakly that it alarmed himself. The figure moved and lifted its head.

"_Harry?_ Oh, are you all right? Are you hurting?"

"A little. What happened? Where is everybody?"

Ginny gripped his hand harder. "Don't worry about that now. Just rest."

"OY, Harry!"

Both looked over toward the door and saw Ron and Hermione running in. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel like crap. I think Snape used that curse that I accidentally fired on Malfoy. I felt the ground and the blood, but I couldn't understand what it was at first. I heard voices coming in and out, but I don't know who said them."

"It was terrible." Hermione whispered. "We saw it. When the curse hit you…I thought I was going to faint."

"Yeah mate," said Ron fervently. "It was like all the blood was draining out of you and flying everywhere. We all thought you were dead the moment it hit you."

Ginny clenched his hand tighter and Hermione looked down at the blankets. Harry could tell that they were worried out of their minds.

"I'm fine now. I know that Dumbledore is dead. I saw Snape do it."

"We know," Hermione sighed sadly. "Lupin saw Snape and the Death Eaters run out of the tower. They want to know what happened. Everyone wants to know where the two of you went."

"I can't say. Dumbledore said to be silent about it."

Harry could tell that nothing else seemed to have happened. They would have told him first thing.

"Could you guys leave a moment? I need to talk to Ginny."

Hermione leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on his forehead and left with Ron, who patted his leg.

"What is it, Harry?" She asked.

"Ginny, you know that I care for you a lot, but this can't work. Being with me will only endanger you. I've lost enough people and put all of you in harm to be certain of it."

He saw her eyes fall deeper into sadness, but a playful smile crossed her face. "Hermione said that you would believe that. I love you enough to ignore it, Harry. We need to be together now, all of us. You can't do everything alone."

"This I have to. I'm not going to Hogwarts next year, I'm continuing what Dumbledore and I had started. I have to do this." His voice seemed to be getting softer. Harry tried hard to focus on her beautiful face, but sleep was trying to claim him.

Ginny didn't give him an answer. "You have to rest now, that is what you need to do. You lost too much blood." She gently cupped his face into her hand and stroked his cheek with her thumb. Harry felt himself drift off almost immediately with her skin against his. "I love you, Harry Potter."

And then everything went dark.


End file.
